Shumlin To Forego Inaugural Ball For Fundraiser

Governor Peter Shumlin has
decided to replace his inaugural ball with an open house at the Statehouse to help
raise additional money for the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund. The event will be
free and open to the public.

The Fund has raised almost $6.5 million for victims of Irene and it's provided over $2.5 million in direct assistance to more than 250 cases.

But the Fund estimates that
it will need an additional $3.5 million to meet the needs
of people affected by the storm.

The Governor is hoping that
individuals and businesses that traditionally make a donation to the Inaugural
Ball, will now help the Disaster Relief Fund and selling more "I Am Vermont
Strong" license plates is also a top priority.

"Every 50,000 plates that we
sell raises another million dollars towards our ten million dollar goal for the
Vermont Disaster Relief Fund," said Shumlin. "So we're going to have a great
open house."

National Life vice president
Chris Graff is a board member of the Disaster Relief Fund. He says requests for
assistance are still coming in.

"We have known that there's
an increase this fall of cases where mold was becoming a problem, things that
people did not know about. Also as each piece of this puzzle comes together if
people are denied aid at something that they thought they could get, and
eventually they may end up with us," said Graff. "It's a very complicated
process to make sure all the pieces go together and at the end of the line
we're there."

Annmarie Bolton is one of
hundreds of Vermonters who have been helped by the Fund. Her mobile home, just
outside of Montpelier, was destroyed by the flood waters of Irene.

FEMA covered the cost of renting
an apartment and the Disaster Relief Fund made it possible for her to put
together enough money for a down payment on a house.

"I'll be honest, if it wasn't
for the Disaster Relief Fund I would probably still be in my apartment and
unclear of where or how I'm going to buy a home," Bolton said. "And so it's because of all the
generosity of Vermonters that my dream was made possible."

And Fund Board member Graff
thinks the state's business community will have a positive response to the open
house approach.

"We know that two years ago
people were willing to pay a lot of money to see the Governor dance, we think
they'll pay a lot more to not see him dance," Graff said, smiling.

The Open House will take
place beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10.